Thousands share photo of ex-inmate with #VOTED sticker

November 8, 2018

In this photo provided by Equal Justice Initiative, former death row inmate Anthony Ray Hinton laughs with a #VOTED sticker on his forehead, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Montgomery, Ala. Hinton spent 28 years on Alabama’s death row before his release in 2015. The group that helped free him, Equal Justice Initiative, tweeted the picture writing, “For 30 years, Mr. Hinton was stripped of all his rights while he sat on Alabama death row for a crime he didn't commit. Today, he arrived at the polls at 7am and exercised his right to vote.” (Equal Justice Initiative via AP)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A photo of a smiling former death row inmate with a #VOTED sticker on his forehead has captured the social media spotlight.

Anthony Hinton spent 28 years on Alabama’s death row before his release in 2015. The group that helped free him, Equal Justice Initiative, tweeted the picture with a message saying Hinton was “stripped of all his rights” for years on death row, but finally exercised his right to vote Tuesday.

The post has been retweeted and liked thousands of times.

The Equal Justice Initiative said Hinton was first in line at his polling place, arriving before the doors opened Tuesday. He wore the sticker on his forehead so no one would miss it.

Hinton was released after new ballistics tests contradicted the only evidence against him.